Self-servicekiosks are everywhere! Nearly every day in the news there is a new story of kiosks being deployed in a wide variety of applications intended to create greater efficiency in a variety of industries, including retail, food service, casino gaming, government agencies, school campuses, and more.
With so many success stories, many businesses see digital kiosks as a “magic bullet” that is going to increase revenue while cutting costs. While this is often the case, it is still important to look at a kiosk deployment as a strategic project that involves planning, execution, and follow-up to ensure that the kiosks are maximizing their potential and generating the most revenue in the most efficient deployment.
Location and Convenience Are Key!
Frank Olea, owner of Olea Kiosks, often compares interactive kiosk deployment to selecting a real estate location for a commercial business. Location and convenience are critical to a successful kiosk project, and as Olea says, kiosks are like retail stores, and “just because it exists, doesn’t mean people will go there.” The primary purpose of self-service kiosks is convenience, but if the kiosk isn’t placed in a convenient location, the kiosk inherently is no longer convenient.
As Olea says, “people naturally choose the path of least resistance,” so when confronted with any difficulty, such as an inconvenient location, customers will choose an easier option. For example if your favorite restaurant has a shortage of parking spaces and requires 20 minutes to look for parking, you are probably going to leave and find a more convenient option, no matter how much you may love the food. After a few instances of parking lot frustration, you probably will stop even considering that restaurant as an option.
Self Service Restaurants – What Do You Like? After a busy NRF 2024 show, I found myself with hours to wait at JFK airport. Needing a quick meal, I headed to a well-known burger chain. Instead of the usual counter, two tabletop kiosks were the only way to order. A line of 10-15 people stretched in front of… Read More »
Self-service ordering and check out has been steadily expanding in grocery store delis and at checkout, at hardware stores, and of course, the airlines, but has been slowly adopted in food service. While a few chains such as …
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See on Scoop.it – Kiosk & Kiosks The kiosk industry has matured and increasingly is focusing on specific niches rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, industry insiders say. Craig Allen Keefner‘s insight: Optimism on where the self-service kiosk industry is these days. Commentators include Ron Bowers of Frank Mayer talking about 4200 SoloHealth units and Frank Olea of… Read More »
The moment you enter McDonald’s the clock starts ticking. You want to get in and out as quickly as possible. You’re trying to fill a hole in your stomach without filling a hole in your pocket.
When self-service works then there are less calls to the Help center, more customers complete their tasks, and less mistakes are made. Self-service is wonderful. When it works. When it’s not being killed by complexity
Crafting a customer experience that works for today’s changing customer base–including millennials–is no easy task. Key decisions to be made include self-service vs. human-delivered customer service. And, as much as anything else, decisions about how much choice to offer your customers. By and large, offering more choices is something that will be […] Source: www.forbes.com Forbes contributor on… Read More »
McDonalds isn’t the first fast food chain to consider giving customers more control over their orders using technology (though there’s a fair amount of debate about whether customization is really the best way forward for the struggling company). Many of its competitors have been experimenting with self-service apps and kiosks, finding that when customers use them, they tend to… Read More »
Excerpt: “Governments across the country are feeling the impact of our fiscal crisis,” said Chris Gilder, CEO of Meridian Zero Degrees, a company that provides design, consulting and software for self-service solutions. “Demands for service remain while budgets are shrinking. Self-service solutions help bridge the gap between consumer expectations and economic reality.”
With the U.S. economy more than four years into a financial crisis, kiosk companies already have experienced an increase in government demand for self-service.
And while government need for kiosks may be increasing, such deployments are nothing new, said Terri McClelland, CEO of the San Antonio-based kiosk company DynaTouch. McClelland said her company has been working on government kiosk projects since the late 1980s, but added that “government agencies need self-service kiosks now more than ever.”
NEW YORK – The CEO of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s says he sees automated restaurants as the future of the industry and a solution to rising minimum wages. “I want to try it,” Andy Puzder told Business Insider.
ADUSA and Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. Announce Partnership Combined Self-Service Kiosk Technologies Target QSR & Fast Casual Restaurants Hoffman Estates, Ill. (July, 5 2018) – ADUSA, Inc. today announced that it has established a partnership with Grafton, WI-based manufacturer Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. The partnership will combine ADUSA’s Qi™ Digital Engagement software with Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc.’s Approach line of… Read More »
Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. To Demonstrate Approach Self-Service Kiosks at ICX Summit See Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc.’s expanded line of self-ordering kiosks at the 2019 Interactive Customer Experience Summit in Dallas June 4-6. GRAFTON, WI – Find Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc.’s self-service kiosk line Approach at the 2019 Interactive Customer Experience (ICX) Summit at Omni… Read More »
While kiosk systems have existed since the early 1990s, their presence in the restaurant industry has increased in recent years as large brands such as Panera, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s experiment with technology. This trend is driven by the significant decrease in the cost of a kiosk system and a growing need to enhance the customer experience through customization and convenience.
Reduce ordering time: With a larger menu, the traditional ordering process can often lead to delays in total service time.
Increase order accuracy: While staff may be trained to repeat back to a customer his or her order prior to processing, order errors are still inevitable, especially with more customization options.
Reduce labor costs: In certain instances, kiosks may provide labor savings if the concept allows changes to the front-of-house structure.
Alter menu prices inreal-time: Promote or discount items to move inventory or leverage favorable food costs to the restaurant’s bottom-line advantage.
Grow checks througheffective upselling: Training staff to effectively upsell multiple messages is often challenging.
Trade customers to more profitable items: The ability to sufficiently market high-priced items may be limited given the space on a printed menu.